Secret
by dafeist98
Summary: Alek is the player in C. Darwin high school but suddenly he feels it is time to settle down. But with Lilit? No, but who? Deryn is a girl from Scotland who moved to New Jersey. Her drunk father has made it very clear she is to be a boy. No one knows her secret because no one would understand. When the two meet they both feel different love interests. Rated M for future chapters.
1. Did You Hear About the New Guy

**CHAPTER 1**

Alek Ferdinand is the biggest player in C. Darwin High School. He's with a new girl every other Friday and it's a godsend that his girlfriend, Lilit, is in Florida for another two weeks.

He pushes the covers down, pink and frilly, and swings his feet carefully to the left side of the bed, trying not to wake the girl next to him. Adela Rogers, who is in nothing but his white T-shirt, stirs a bit at the motion but turns from her left to her right. Alek checks her sleeping state for a second and continues getting up.

He makes his way towards the bathroom not even bothering to put his pants on. When he switches on the light, he takes a second to look at the time on the cute pink clock above the toilet. It's Saturday, December seventh, nine o'clock in the morning. He walks up to the shower and slithers through the curtains so the curtain hooks wouldn't rattle and clank. He twisted the knob to the right and the water started running.

Alek reached for the generic store brand shampoo and squirted a glob of the purple soap. Alek couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Was it guilt? He has done this before, sleep with someone even though he was dating someone else.

"Maybe I should settle down?" he whispers to himself silently, "But with Lilit?"

The two of them have been dating since her history club trip to Istanbul when they snuck away from the group and did a quicky in the hotel room. That was a month ago. Alek has the thoughts of breaking up with her. It isn't in his nature to be with just one girl but today he feels he might have to. But he doesn't feel that Lilit is the girl he wants. Then who is? He has been with so many girls so he has a lot of choices but none of them, like Lilit, could please him emotionally.

Alek turns off the water and reaches silently for the dark purple towel that is hanging on the hook. He dries off and reaches for his bag. In it he has new clothes, underwear, socks, pants, and a T-shirt. He pulls on the briefs and slowly pulls up his pants, careful not to rattle the belt. He locks his belt and throws on his T-shirt and pulls on his jacket, zipping it up to his chest leaving the white T exposed a bit.

He starts for his keys but is redirected to his cell phone when the nightstand begins vibrating. While grabbing the cellphone he pushes the lock button and sees that Otto Klopp is calling. Alek, who doesn't want to wake up Adela and have to lie and say, "I'll call you," hits 'reject call with message' and taps the one text message that says 'Call you back later'. While reaching for the keys with his free right hand, he feels the phone vibrate again in his left. Putting the keys into his pocket, he hits the lock button and reads Otto's reply.

'LOL wen u r done being "busy" meet me and Volger at the garage.' The Garage referred to Otto's garage where he worked on our cars and tinkers with parts.

Alek begins walking out of Adela's room but stops in the doorway and posts his forearm on the frame. He twists his head and looks over at her slumbering body. He worked her until two o'clock or so in the morning. He was amazed by her endurance and she just kept coming at him for more and more.

He still can't help but feel the strange feeling that he did before. He bows his head and whispers,

"Thank you, Adela."

Alek doesn't know why he said that but he did. He felt it would be right.

He slowly closed the front door and started towards his jeep, which was parked by the curb a few houses down to avoid Adela's parents. The driveway was empty. The Roger's had work wherever it was they worked. The wind was frigid and blowing hard causing Alek's eyes to water.

When Alek got to his jeep he pulls out his phone and texts Otto that he will be there soon. Sliding the phone back into his pocket, he pulls out his keys and unlocks the car door, opens it and steps inside. He shook his head and took a big gulp of the water bottle he had stored in his cup holder. He was trying to get rid of the feeling so he can stop moping around.

He started talking to Adela on Monday. He got her number on Tuesday. They were sexting on Wednesday. They made out on Thursday. They had sex on Friday night and Saturday morning. This was actually how it went with most of Alek's pickups.

He stuck the key into the ignition and turned it. The air started blowing once the car started but it was still cold. The engine was warming up. Alek sits in the cold, recalling the night. Sex, blowjobs, eating out, and hand jobs. The two of them went all out last night. Of course none of it was any different from his other one night stands. He has slept with nearly every girl in his junior class either this year or last. He has just recently mingled amongst the senior crowd and Adela was his second senior girl.

So if there is nothing different and this is not the first time Alek had cheated then it must be his mind telling him _it is time to settle down_. With who should he though? He is only a junior but it could happen. His parents were happily married and they were High School sweet hearts. It's times like these that he wishes they were still here.

Finally the air warmed up so the engine was warm enough to run. He drove away from the curbside to the intersection and got on the main road. He would be at the Garage in three minutes or so. Of course Otto and Volger are going to want details. Otto is going to ask every thinkable question and Volger is going to analyze without mercy.

Three minutes pass and Alek pulls up to Otto's house. Volger's car, a beat up _Neon_, is in the driveway so Alek parks near the curb again. He pulls out the key and pops the door handle followed by his left leg pushing open the door. He slams the door, locks it, and starts for the garage door. The house is pretty beaten up. The shutters fell off leaving behind discolored spots. One window has wood covering it and a few are cracked. The drive way is broken and cracked and the lawn is covered in an overgrowth of weeds and uncut grass.

Alek can't ever help but feel bad for Otto. He lives in a nice expensive house but Otto has to live here. His mother tries so hard to keep them afloat and Otto works nearly full time at the car garage in town. He is either in school or works and only gets Saturdays off so Alek and Volger are always with him.

Alek knocks on the door on the side of the house that leads to the garage.

"Come in Alek," Volger invites from the other side.

Alek opens the door. The smell of oil, gas, and kerosene fill Alek's nostrils. Otto is in his grease clothes, which are stained in oil and other car fluids. Volger is sitting on the workbench holding a coffee.

"Think fast, stud!" Otto tosses a sausage sandwich right at Alek. He catches it and walks quicker to the two.

"So tell me all the-"

"Nope." Alek doesn't let Otto finish because he already knows the question and Otto already knows the answer.

"Aw. Come on. You have to tell me."

"You know Otto," Volger sips his coffee, "if you are so interested in sex and details then go out and experience said details."

"Yeah, go get laid bro." Alek is completely on Volger's side in this.

"You think I have that kind of time?"

"We don't always need to spend Saturdays with you. I'm sure Alek could find you a girl."

Otto, who has no argument worth fighting for, turns around and pretends to clean a piston. Volger turns to Alek.

"You seem different. Did it not go well? You are usually more upbeat then this."

"Hypocrite." Otto turns his head a bit to the left to mention that. We both ignore him and continue our conversation.

"I'm fine. Something has me worked up is all."

"Did she break it?" Otto turns his head completely and faces them with the straightest face that Alek has ever seen on Otto.

"No!" Alek flips him off.

"Then what is it?" Volger asks now curious.

"I'm thinking of settling down."

The two of them do a sit come style look at each other. Then Otto loses control and collapses on the bench laughing madly. Volger almost does a spit take with his coffee.

After a few moments of the two laughing Volger looks at Alek, who is standing with an annoyed look on his face and arms crossed, and his face turns back to serious.

"Oh you're serious."

"Why? Do you love Lilit?" Otto asks while wiping away a developing tear.

"Don't throw around the L word." Alek lets his arms relax and he leans on the wall.

"Then what is it?" Otto is now interested like Volger.

"My guess is that he sees that it is time to find that girl in his life. Am I right?" Volger's eyes pierce right through Alek.

"I don't know dude let's just drop the subject for now."

"For now," Volger replies suspiciously.

The trio sits and eats their sandwiches. Volger finishes off the remainder of his coffee and throws out the cup. Otto quickly copies with his wrapper then Alek with his.

Otto, who was looking at the piston from earlier, looks up at the two of them and asks,

"Anyone else hear about the new kid?"

The two of them shake their head cueing Otto to continue.

"Well his name is Dylan Sharp. I think he moved from Scotland."

"Scotland? Why New Jersey of all places?" Alek is very curious. Perhaps even more than Volger. It's not every day a student from Scotland shows up in school.

Otto just shrugs his shoulders and says,

"He is supposedly really attractive, too. You might be replaced so it doesn't matter if you settle down or not."

Alek ignores his mocking comment and gets lost in his thoughts. A new attractive guy in school could be the godsend that Alek was looking for. If someone could be stealing all the girls (including Lilit), then Alek would have to settle down. Or what if this is just a freak feeling that will go away tomorrow and this Dylan is a force to be reckoned with.

"I suggest you introduce yourself Monday and you can see if this guy is worth worrying about, Alek."

"How did you know I was think-?"

"Who knows he might be helpful after all. If you do settle, which you should really consider, he just might take all the girls off your back so you wouldn't be tempted."

Alek knows Volger is right. He will introduce himself Monday. Who knows he might become friends with this Dylan guy.

Alek pulls out his phone and sees the time, eleven o'clock. Alek promised his grandmother that he would be home at twelve. He could stay longer if he wanted but he needed some sleep anyway. He didn't get much last night that's for sure.

"I'll see you guys later, ok? I need to get back home."

"Ok see ya." Otto waves and turns around to his bench and fiddles with some strange part that is unfamiliar to Alek.

"See you later, Alek. It's something to consider," Volger reminds.

Alek waves and closes the door behind him. He walks towards the car. Once inside, he pulls out his phone and texts his grandmother that he is on his way. He tosses the phone to the passenger seat and inserts the key. When the car starts he starts driving back onto the main road thinking about this new development. Soon he is home and laying in his bed, looking up at the ceiling.

"I have to meet this guy Dylan." Alek turns of the lamp switch and slowly falls asleep.


	2. Hi

**CHAPTER 2**

It's Sunday and Deryn Sharp is in her room unpacking all the boxes. There were boxes of all sizes all labeled 'Dylan's room' in her father's hand writing. She sighed at the work load and began unpacking the one she cared most about, her pictures. She slid the box out from underneath a pile of other similar boxes. Taking a box knife, she jabbed it through the top and slid it across. The clear tape cut easily and she threw the knife into some random spot.

She opened up the box flaps to find her pictures. Most of which were recently captured one or two years ago so her father could keep this persona for her. But she kept one hidden from her childhood when her father, in a drunken stupor, came and threw out all the pictures into a garbage bag. She pushed and dug through all the pictures and eventually came to the treasured one.

She carefully pulled it out and dusted it off. It was a picture of her mother in front of her favorite hot air balloon. It was taken three years ago, a week before her mother's death.

Deryn clutched the picture and pulled it to her chest. Her eyes started to fill up with tears and they ran down her cheeks.

"Oh mom, I miss you so much," the tears were full on now. Running down her face, "first you leave us, then Jaspert. Now I'm stuck with this bum rag drunk."

She sits in the corner still clutching the picture, never wanting to let it go.

Because of their mother's death, Jaspert left to join the Royal Air Force in London and disappeared. As a consequence, Deryn's daft father started drinking and became a full out drunk. He couldn't stand the fact that he lost his wife and only son. A year passed and her father made her become a boy to make up for Jaspert. So she had to act like a boy, talk like a boy, and only responds to Dylan.

He kept this up for two years back in Scotland until people started finding out about Deryn's secret. In order to avoid a media craze, he packed up the house and they went to America. Now everything she owns says male or Dylan. Here she is Dylan and she can't stand it.

She takes every chance to remind herself she is still a girl. That she is truly Deryn and not this fake identity that her father wants. She is seventeen and once her birthday comes she is leaving. But she can't help but be afraid of loneliness. Then she is interrupted in her thoughts.

"Dylan! Come down stairs!" Her father calls from the living room and he already is slurring his speech.

Deryn puts the picture to her lips and kisses it then sets it gingerly on a box. She wipes away the tears the best she can and starts for the door.

She walks down the stairs and over a few boxes and finds her dad sitting in his recliner with a beer bottle in his right hand. It's already almost half gone.

She keeps her head down to avoid eye contact. She is always afraid to look at her father especially when he is in this state.

He points to the kitchen and says, "Your school ID is in there along with your schedule."

"Thank you, sir." She has been taught to thank her father this way, even though it is fake respect.

She walks towards the kitchen table in the kitchen. On it she finds a picture from her other school ID that her father must have sent in. Underneath it read 'Dylan Sharp, Grade: 11'

She grimaced at the ID. She always wondered how her dad was able to get a school to see her as a guy, too. She replaced the ID in her hand with her school schedule and began to read it over. First period: biology, second period: study hall (which was supposed to be gym), third period: algebra, fourth period: lunch, fifth period: history, sixth period: English, seventh period: art, and eighth period: German.

She put it down and started back for her room when she remembers to thank her father again.

"Thank you again, sir."

Her father ignores her though and takes a swig from his bottle.

She walks up stairs and into her room closing the door behind her. She opens the box that holds her backpack in it and grabs her bag. She tosses it to the corner next to the door for tomorrow.

Deryn grabs the picture of her mother that she had left on the box earlier and props it on the nightstand next to her bed.

"I really need you here, mom."

She plugs in the alarm clock and sets it to ring at five thirty since she will be walking to school.

She begins prepping her outfit for tomorrow. All her clothes are Jaspert's hand me downs, lots of button ups and white T's. She picks out a black long sleeved button up and white T shirt and a pair of black regular fitting jeans. She walks into the bathroom and turns on the light. She pushes a few boxes out of the way and stands in front of the mirror.

Her sandy blond hair was cut yesterday by her dad to be a little long but not too much.

Her chest, which is as flat as a cutting board which is a good thing for her and her dad, is almost invisible behind a shirt. If someone were to find out about her secret then she would be labeled the freak. How many people could be accepting of her secret? No one would understand. She can't date. She has had one serious boyfriend three years ago. Newkirk was her first kiss and he took her virginity but since then she has had no one.

But then again she hasn't seen anyone who she could even consider. There hasn't been one guy who she has met and was even remotely attracted to. Even though she is Dylan and not Deryn.

After brushing her teeth, she turned off the lights and fell into bed. She turned herself until she was facing the ceiling. Will this school be any different? Can she really do this charade for another two years?

Her eye lids were getting heavy and she began to yawn. She turned over to her right to read the clock. It said it was ten thirty. Deryn, who is now extremely tired, turns to her left and snuggles into her black sheets.

"Goodnight mom," she whispers.

Her mother is up in the hot air balloon on a slightly stormy day. Deryn's mom is being daft and doesn't think anything of it though until the storm was directly overhead. Deryn sees from the ground the balloon being swallowed up by huge rolling gray clouds. The lightning was furious and merciless. Strikes came from everywhere and thunder boomed and roared.

She screamed as loud as she could, "MOM!"

A bolt of lightning struck the balloon and was completely engulfed in fire in a matter of seconds. Her brother, Jaspert, tried to pull on the line and bring down the balloon but the wind was whipping the balloon in every directions. The balloon, after long moments of being whipped around, came hurtling down as a fireball. It crashes into a field and was nothing but a huge burning pile of ash and fabric.

Deryn runs to the crash site. She begins to hear a loud beeping but thinks nothing of it. She gets closer to the site and the closer she gets the louder the beeping.

She yells for help when she hears a voice in the rubble. It's mumbled and inaudible because of the beeping.

"I can't hear you."

The beeping is so loud to the point that that is all Deryn can hear.

Then suddenly, black.

Deryn gasps awake and hears the annoying beep of the alarm clock. She brings her palm down on it and turns it off.

She wipes her forehead with the back of her hand. She is soaked in sweat and her heart is beating a mile a minute.

"Bloody hell," she says still breathing heavily, "another nightmare."

She flings herself out of bed and walks to the bathroom. She turns on the light and sees she soaked through her pajama shirt and pants. She strips down in a heartbeat and jumps into the shower.

She walks outside into the cold. The wind blows and her eyes begin to water. Her outfit that she picked yesterday is covered by a grey hoody so she doesn't freeze to death.

She can't get a ride from her father because he is sleeping and she is definitely not waking him up.

Deryn walks onto the main road. She can't stop thinking about that dream. It wasn't the first time that she has had it. But the part that got her was when the ash pile started uttering something. It could be her mother.

She looked down at her watch. It was almost six thirty. At this rate she is going to be late for school. She pulled of her back pack and tucked it under her arm. She started running as fast as she could.

She was almost exhausted though in half a minute. She couldn't help it but sit on the curb to catch her breath. Half a minute passes and she is still exhausted when she notices a jeep go by. It was only for a short second but she could make out a teenage guy in the car.

"Don't suppose he could give me a ride."

Deryn, still out of breath, realizes that she is only a block from the school when she sees the jeep pull into the school's parking lot.

"Thank god."

Deryn picks herself up and begins to jog to the school. When she gets to the intersection of the main road and the school parking lot she sees the same jeep parking in what seems to be the junior lot.

The driver of the jeep, a normal height brownish haired teenager, exits and walks over to two people. One of them is waving franticly. He is a bit heavy and a little shorter than the jeep driver. The other guy isn't waving but leaning on the side of the school with what seems to be a coffee cup. He is leaner then the guy next to him and has longer black hair.

The three meet and begin to walk into the crowd of high school kids mobbed around the front entrance. Deryn does the same once she gets to the front of the school. She pushes her way in the crowd to get to the entrance door and makes her way to her locker.

If she read the schedule correctly then C724 should be her locker. She walks up and down all the hallways until she finds the C wing lockers and looks for her number. All of the kids are staring when she walks by as if there is something off about her. A few girls look a little flirty and a couple guys try to get the attention back on them.

This happened a lot in her old school back in Scotland. A couple girls actually asked her out a few times and she had to decline. The guys would sometimes get jealous. Actually almost every time they would get jealous.

She finds her locker and starts to work the combo, repeating the numbers silently to herself,

"Forty eight. Twenty-seven and twelve."

She pulls out the handle and hears a click. The locker swings open and makes a creaky noise. She puts down her back pack and unzips the hoody and tosses it into her locker. She roles up her sleeves and bends down to grab her house key from her hoodie's pocket avoiding the metal shelf above her head.

She was just about to come up when something scared the clart out of her.

"Hi." A guy's voice calls out from her left. She shoots up in terror and slams her head on the top shelf that she tried to avoid.

"Barking spiders!" Luckily for her she had her male voice when she yelled that.


End file.
